1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bearing removal and installation devices, and more particularly relates to a device for the removal and installation of bearings and the hubs attached to said bearings on all front wheel drive vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a number of bearing removal and installation devices known to the art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,558, issued Oct. 30, 1962 to Levenson discloses a device for removing press fitted axle bearings from rear wheel drive axles. This device includes a pair of diametrically opposed screws to drive a bearing off an axle. U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,441, issued July 23, 1968 to Gebhart describes an apparatus for moving bearings into and out of press-fit relation with shafts. This apparatus includes two thrust plates: one for removing an inner bearing race from a shaft and the other for forcing an inner bearing race into a shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 3,174,218, issued Mar. 23, 1965 to McConaha discloses a bearing removal and installation device in which a tubular member or axle press body for receiving a shaft is provided, at one end, with means for clamping the bearing, and at the other end, with adjustable pressure means for forcing the bearing from the shaft. U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,865, issued July 20, 1982 to Shultz describes an apparatus and method for removing or inserting a bushing or bearing within an automobile transmission. This apparatus includes an elongated bushing or bearing drive shaft, an adjustable size mandrel which includes a plurality of bushing or bearing drive shoulders, a mandrel spreader for adjusting the mandrel drive shoulders to a predetermined dimension, and a depth stop sleeve adjustably mounted on the elongated drive shaft for determining the depth to which the bushing or bearing can be inserted in the transmission.
None of these devices are compact and simple enough to be used for removing and installing bearings and hubs on front wheel drive automobiles. Limited working space is available in front wheel drive vehicles. Therefore, there is a growing need for a compact and simple apparatus for removing and installing bearings and hubs in cars with limited working space, without having to remove the wheel bearing housing and without disturbing front end alignment.
It is, accordingly, a general object of this invention to provide an apparatus that can remove and install bearings and hubs without major disassembly of nearby parts and disturbance of front end alignment.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus that can remove and install bearings and hubs on front wheel drive automobiles.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus that can remove and install bearings and hubs without requiring the removal of the wheel bearing housing.